Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-18
DAILY HERALD.
BETRAYED BY THE PARROTT,
The Autobiography of An Old
isacassor.
BY WILLIAM J. DELANEY.

| was a bachelor and woman
hater at sixty-fve. There are many
reasons which may predispose man
to a life of single blessedness, but
there is only one experience, appre-
hend, that can harden his heart into
hatred against the gentle and the
erring sex. In the days of my hot
youth such experience was mine, for
the girl whom l loved with the pas
sion of boyhood, Tilted and betrayed
me. On the very eve of our contem-
plated marriage she eloped with my
rival, and it was but poor balm to my
wounded heart to learn she lived to
regret her choice. But seeming evils
are blessings in disguise, it has been
said, and my first love affair, in des-
troying all faith in woman and her
wiles, was blessing to me. | shook
the dust from my feet in the temple of
Venus to go forth to worship at the
shrine of Pluto, and avarice, which is
the vice of old age, became the pas
sion OF my youth. For forty years
lived a lie which had for its sole am
bition the accumulation of wealth, and
tenacity OF purpose concentrated on a
single object must eventually bring its
reward. was rich man when re-
tired from business and left the
smoky city of Pittsburgh, where all
those years had been spent.
One morning found myself in New
York, and fatalist, no doubt, would
tell me it was destiny that brought me
hither. had decided on journey to
Europe early in the summer, but
some intervening weeks were at my
disposal in which to study life in the
Empire City. Hotels have been al
WAYS my abomination and | sought
for quiet rooms in quiet neighbor-
hood through the medium of an adj
vertisement. From the many answers
| received | selected one. \ lady with
an only child had rooms to let at No.
- Madison avenue, where no other
dodgers were kept, and accordingly
the following evening | rang the bell
mt the number named. An elderly
female admitted me and having
learned my business ushered me into
the sitting room. A lady whose age
would be difficult to determine, with
golden blonde coiffure and a suspi-
cion of the rouge pot on cheeks which
were no longer plump, received me.
l briefly stated my business and she
said:
''If you kindly come with me, sir,
l shall be happy to show you the
rooms"
AS she spoke the door opened and a
young girl in walking costume entered
the room.
"Mamma, I've bought you Hag-
CARDS latest novel, and -"
She paused abruptly, becoming
aware of the presence of a stranger,
and the elder lady said, "My daugh-
ter, sir. Emily, my love, this gentle
man has called about the rooms"
She bowed slightly. AS for myself,
Twas simply stupefied. Was l living
again in the unforgotten dream of forty
years before? Was the Emily l had
loved in that long past time restored
to youth and loveliness in the person
of this fai- young girl? The same
graceful pofse of the shapely head
the same exquisite curve of the mo-
bile mouth, the same soft dark eyes
and "tip-tilted" nose that gave the
charm OF piquancy to her f,A e.
MADAM" / said decisi ely, 81
shall take the rooms, and 1 woh'd 4 pre-
fer, if you please, to pay three monks
rent in advance.
"But, sir, you have not seen them
vet" and my prospective landlady's
eyebrows arched into note OF interro-
CATION.
at amt necessary, 'tain't neces
sary, l assure you. The locality pleases
me, and Pm sure the rooms will suit
me perfectly"
A few minutes later was walking
down Madison avenue full OF the
humiliating consciousness that |, Jas
per Gilsley, was miserable old fool
l had long passed the age when 70
nance gives way to rheumatism, ye
] was thinking of a girlish face, witt
soft, dark eyes. Nevertheless,
passed a restless night, waiting for the
morrow, when the secret of an extra
ordinary likeness might be revealed
to me.
The following afternoon | founC
Mrs. Brandt, my landlady, enjoyin,
an afternoon tea, and gladly accepted
an invitation to join her. While
fingered over "the cup that cheers
but not inebriates," it required littl
fnesse ON my part to induce the lad.
to talk of herself and daughter. Tn
girl was a teacher in one of the cit,
primary school, and one OF the sweet
est darlings that ever gladdened
mothers heart.
I'm sure of it, madame" | acqui
esced, sand strangely her face recall
the memory OF a girl [ knew man,
years ago"
"She bears striking likeness t
what | was at her age" and givin'
way to the luxury of retrospection
she told me the story of her own earl.
youth, and the girlish mistake that il
a measure had clouded all her afte
life.
To meet ones early love in othe
years when the bloom has faded from
her cheeks, and the love light NJ
longer sparkles in her eyes is som,
compensation for all the penalties o
bachelor existence.
"Good Heaven! and would have
been idiotic enough to marry her,
were words that trembled on my lip:
IA the knowledge dawned upon me
] was sitting in the presence of thu
woman who had once duped me. Anc
| was unrecognized myself.
Before the expiration OF month
was regarded as friend of the family
From the mother, whom | cautiousl,
approached on the subject, / Learned
that cItere Emily was not engaged
Neither had she lover-to be sur
there was an early ENHANCEMENT, bu
happily that was past, and the dea
child had reason to be thankful sh
had shaken off the attentions of
young fellow utterly unworthy of her
With secret pleasure | listened to Mrs
Brandt relate how in her own foolisl
girlhood she cast away the love OF
good man for brilliant rake, VIII
possessed many talents, and in a
eminent degree the talent of making